Method of producing flame on the surface of water.



R. PIEDLER. METHOD 0? PRODUCING FLAME ON THE SURFACE or WATER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, I911.

1,087, 1 1 2. Patefited Feb. 17, 19m

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(In MW. I fizt'iari Wadi??- gym uh if R; FIEDLBR. METHOD OF PRODUCING FLAME ON THE SURFACE OF WATER.

APPLICATION FILE!) AUG. 17, 1911.

1,087,1 1 2. Patentd Feb; 17, 1914.

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To all whom it may concern UNITED s'rArEs PATENT ornron BIC-HARD FIEDLEB, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

METHOD OF PRODUCING FLAME 9N THE SURFACE WATER.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.y17,1914.

Original application filed December 14,1908, Serial No. 467,509. Divided and this application fllgd August 17, 1911. Serial No. 644,705.

Be it known that I, RICHARD Fraunnn, a

subject of the German Emperor, residing at Berlin, S. W., 61, in Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods of Producing Flame on the Surface of Water, of specification.

This application is a division of applicants copending application Serial No.

' 467,509, filed December 14, 1908.

This invention relates to a methodof generating a large body of flame on the surface of water suitable for warlike and other purposes. T e flames are generated by igniting combustible fuel, specifically lighter than water and not miscible therewith which is caused to issue-under pressure from an orifice under water and is ignited when .it has ascended to the surface of the water.

A paratus suitable for carrying theim vention into effect is illustrated in the annexed drawing, in which,

'Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section illustrating one form of the apparatus. Figu2 is a section on a larger scale of the igniter. Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section .of a modification of'part 0 the -ap-. paratus. Fig. 4 illustrates in elevation another modification of the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1, the drum 70 has a closable orifice ,0 through which Liquid fuel can be introduced into the drum. v A cock f mounted on the upper cover of the drum controls the supply ofa liquid or under pressure, which can be admitted to the drum to expel the'combustible liquid. Carbon dioxid used for this purpose has the ad-' vantage that it does .not generate explosive gases. is a cock 72. joined toa flexible pipe orhose s with a nozzle m. The fuel traverses a-layer of water before bein ignited. Liquid hy-- tible layer. This layer of fuel canvbe ignited for illuminating or signaling purposes, or.

for the purpose of-military or other oper-j ations.

In the construction shown in l-the pipe 8 leading from the drum is laid under which the following is a r i This layer of fuel is preferably ignited by 'Near the bottom of the drum there water and terminates below that portion of the water surface on which the flame is to be produced. "When pressure is applied to the liquid fuel in thedrum 7c, and the cock h is opened, fuel issues from the nozzle m and ascends to the surface of'the water on which it forms av continuous combustible layer.

utilizing the well known property of pot-ass1um,.sodium.'or calcium phosphi'd of decomposing water and i niting the hydrogen or phosphoreted hy rogen produced by the decomposition. This may be effected by means of the device shown in Fig. 2, which comprises a tube 1' with a weak diaphragm g of india-rubber closing its upper orifice. On

this diaphragm is placed a lump of potas-.; sium, sodium or calcium phosphid p, and an 1 india-rubber cap 'wis placed over the said lump and fastened tightly to the end of the tube 4* so that neither air nor water can have access to the metal or phosphid. The tube 1' is either joined-to the pipe 8,. as shown in Fig. 1, or is connected by a pipe Z to the drum 70, as indicated in Fig; 4. The admission offluid under lplressure to the pipe 8 or Z causes the diap agm g and cap u to burst, so that the lump p can rise to the surface of the water and produce ignition in the known manner. The layer of liquid fuel on the water is by thismeans ignited,-

and combustion canbe supported for an mdefinite period bysuppl the drum is, only a slug e required The igniting device described is. very sa e and reliable, since the metal or, phosphid is kept quite separate from the fuel until ignition is to take place; there is no risk of accidental ignition,

In order to keep the nozzle at the desired distance below the surface of thewater thepipe s may be fastened to a float-a, asshown, for example, in Fig. 3. The float may consist-of a wooden or iron frame-work. If a wooden frame-work is used, weights 1o g fresh fuel from ignition being re- I may be placed thereon to keep it under the surface of the water.

Tothe corners or other convenient parts ofthe frame-work buoys t are connected by cocks the-buoys can easilyvery .s malllporor the like. bon dioxid under pressure is admittcd to the To raise,the frame-worka, carpipe 00' and boxes '0, so that the water is expolled from the latter through the orifices 'y, whereupon the frame-work ascends to the surface. When the frame-work is to be lowered again the carbon dioxid is allowed to escape from the pipe w, whereupon water ren'ters the boxes 1: through the What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The method ofgenerating a large mass offlame on the surface of Water, which consists infor'cibly ejecting a jet of fuel specifically lighter than water and not *miscible with water in an upward direction from an orifice under water, and igniting said fuel when it has ascended to the surface of the water.

orifice under water,

2. The method of generating a large mass of flame on the surface of water, which consists in forcibly ejecting a jet of .fuel specifically lighter than Water and not mlscible with water in an upward direction from an and simultaneously projecting, from a container under the water, a chemical igniter which generates heat by reaction with the water; whereby said fuel is ignited at the surface of the water.

3. The method of generating a large mass of flame 0n the surface of water, which consists in forcibly ejecting a jet of fuel in an upward direction from a floating nozzle under water, igniting said fuel when it has asceiided to the surface of the water, and regulating the depth at which the nozzle floats by means of fluid-controlled buoys.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD FTEDLER. I Witnesses:

WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER. 

